This Winchester Model 1873 lever action saddle ring carbine reportedly once belonged to Wild West showman Johnny Baker. Born in 1869 at North Platte, Nebraska, Lewis H. "Johnny" Baker joined the famous Buffalo Bill's Wild West show at the young age of 16 as "The Cowboy Kid." Baker quickly befriended exhibition shooter Annie Oakley and under her guidance learned the skills of a trick shooter. Oakley and Baker commonly performed together, with Baker (always the chivalrous one) refusing to win a match. Even by his own admission, he could never out-shoot Oakley. Gradually Baker took on more managerial duties of the Wild West and in the wake of show owner William Cody's (Buffalo Bill) death tried to revive the financially struggling show. Baker had won Cody's affection and vice versa. Reportedly some of Cody's last words before he died in Denver were directed to Baker: "I wish Johnny would come." After hearing of Cody's collapse, Baker had boarded a train in New York but arrived too late to say goodbye to his friend. In 1921, Baker and his wife opened a museum next to Buffalo Bill's gravesite with much of the artifacts coming from Baker's own collection. Today the museum is administrated by the City and County of Denver. For his own tombstone, Baker requested "Foster Son of Col. William F. Cody (Buffalo Bill)." According to the consignor's research, a 44 caliber carbine was nickel plated at the Winchester factory and left the factory on October 12, 1887. (This carbine is chrome plated, thus making it a mid 20th century finished arm!).The factory records did not indicate a smoothbore carbine when the firearm left the factory. Instead, it is likely that the heavily used original barrel was shot smooth or replaced. In either case this carbine was definitely a firearm used for a shooting act. The side plates and front receiver sides have a dull gray finish with bright acid etched markings: a uniform star pattern on the receiver, "BUFFALO BILL'S/WILD WEST" on the left side plate and "JOHNNY BAKER" on the right side plate. The top of the barrel is marked with the two line address/King's improve patent dates ahead of the rear sight. It feature a fixed front sight, folding ladder carbine rear sight, full length magazine tube, two barrel bands, the distinctive Third Model dust cover rail integral to the top of the receiver and saddle ring staple with ring on the left side of the receiver. There are no caliber markings. The upper tang is marked "MODEL 1873" and the serial number is on the lower tang. Mounted with a smooth walnut forearm and straight grip stock with an iron carbine buttplate with compartment (cleaning rod not included).

Very good as custom inscribed chrome plated. The carbine retains 95% of the chrome finish with most of the loss regulated to the buttplate. There is some very scattered minor pitting. The wood is fair as expected with a heavily used show gun, showing a leather repair wrap on the wrist, a few stress cracks along the grain and some minor pressure dents and scratches. Mechanically fine.